Justice Minister concerned ‘majority' of attacks on Indian community ‘carried out by young people'
O'Callaghan today met with representatives of the Ireland India Council and the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland, to discuss recent racist attacks on members of the Indian community.
In recent weeks, there has been a spate of physical attacks on members of the Indian community in Ireland.
In one instance, a man who was
attacked by a group of teenagers has decided to return to India as a result of the assault.
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Other recent incidents have included a man being
stripped and beaten after a false accusation in Tallaght
, a man being
assaulted on his way home from a friend's apartment,
and an
attack on a six-year-old girl in Waterford.
This resulted in the Indian embassy in Dublin recently
warning citizens 'take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, especially in odd hours'.
Speaking after the meeting, O'Callaghan remarked that 'any attack against innocent members of the public is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated'.
'Attacks on individuals because of their inherent characteristics including race are abhorrent to the values of our republic and are condemned by any right-thinking people,' said O'Callaghan.
He added: 'What I find most concerning about these attacks is that the majority appear to have been carried out by young people.'
The Justice Minister said he has been informed that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers are 'engaging with the respective communities and youth groups on the matter'.
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Indian man to leave Ireland after being attacked by a group in Dublin over the weekend
Ambassador to India says attacks on migrants are 'deeply at odds' with Irish values
Attack on Indian man in Dublin: 'Words aren't enough, Irish people need to do more'
O'Callaghan also said that he has been engaging 'extensively' with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and that Harris has 'taken action to support the Indian community'.
'Importantly, Senior Investigating Officers are assigned to investigate all reported incidents, so I hope to see progress on those investigations soon,' added O'Callaghan.
He also noted that Irish law has 'recently been amended by the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences ) Act 2024 to ensure any attack motivated by hate will on conviction result in increased sentencing parameters for the sentencing judge so there are severe consequences for the perpetrators of these attacks'.
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